Ireland A 33 Argentina 8: One suspects the powers that be in Lansdowne Road may have preferred a more meaningful prize but Ireland A will have to content themselves with the Churchill Cup Plate following an often fractious clash with Argentina on Saturday afternoon.
After a couple toothless displays earlier in the competition, the Irish second-string finally showed some grit and determination against an admittedly poor Argentina selection to comfortably claim third place.
Having missed out on the main final, Allen Clarke's side were keen to apply themselves from the outset in Chicago and quickly got their noses in front with a third minute Jonathan Sexton penalty.
And with a woefully inept Argentina lineout coughing up a constant stream of possession, Ireland soon had their first try as Denis Fogarty bundled over following an eight-man shove.
Sexton missed the conversion but added a fine drop goal before Darren Cave, who impressed alongside Keith Earls in midfield, was on hand to apply the finish following some good close quarters work from the Irish pack.
Sexton added the extra points to open a 21-0 half-time lead but, in truth, Ireland could and should have been out-of-sight but for some less than clinical finishing.
Clarke spoke at the interval of the need to push on but it was the Pumas who came out the stronger after the break. Content to sit back and absorb the pressure, Ireland were punished when Ignacio Mieres got Argentina on the scoreboard with a close-range penalty.
Indeed, Mieres should have added a further two penalties but sent tame efforts wide of the target.
As the temperatures rose, the play was fractured with a series of flare-ups and it was no surprise when Harlequins prop Mike Ross and Juan Pablo Lagarrique were sin-binned late on following a mass brawl.
By that stage Ireland were out of sight, a converted Jonathon Sexton try and an Ian Keatley score deep into injury time keeping the scoreboard ticking over. For all their prowess in broken field running, all that Argentina could muster in reply was a solitary Gabriel Ascarate try as Ireland signed off on a winning note.
Scoring sequence: 3 mins: Sexton penalty, 3-0; 7 mins: Fogarty try, 8-0; 30 mins: Sexton drop goal, 11-0; 34 mins: Sexton penalty, 14-0; 39 mins: Cave try, Sexton conversion, 21-0. Half-time: 21-0. 46 mins: Mieres pen, 21-3; 63 mins: Sexton try, Sexton conversion, 28-3; 67 mins: Ascarate try, 28-8; 88 mins: Keatley try, 33-8.
Ireland A: D Hurley (Munster); M McCrea (Ulster), D Cave (Ulster), K Earls (Munster), B Tuohy (Cornish Pirates); J Sexton (Leinster), F Murphy (Connacht); C Healy (Leinster), D Fogarty (Munster), M Ross (Harlequins); B Casey (capt, London Irish), D Ryan (Munster); N Best (Northampton), J O'Connor (Connacht), R Wilson (Northampton) . Replacements: T Hogan (Leinster) for Casey (58), D Pollock (Ulster) for Wilson (68), S Cronin (Connacht) for Fogarty (71), I Keatley (Connacht) for Sexton (74), F McFadden (Leinster) for McCrea (78), T Court (Ulster) for O'Connor (80), P Marshall (Ulster) for Murphy (80).
Sin Bin: Ross (78).
Argentina: Barrera Oro, Camacho, Gauthier, Amelong, Merello, Mieres, Albarracin, Rodriguez Planells Oviedo, Maria, Orlandi, Lagarrigue, Aranguren, Creevy, Fessia, Abadie, Ascarate. Replacements: Senatore for Amelong (78), Urdapilleta for Merello (41), Ascarate for Mieres (68), Gomez Kodela for Rodriguez Planells Oviedo (79), Bettoli for Orlandi (72), Genoud for Creevy (56), Lopez Fleming for Ascarate (75).
Sin Bin: Lagarrigue (78).
